Daughter of Time Lords
by Hannabell Fester
Summary: When River Song and The Doctor crash land the T.A.R.D.I.S, they encounter a painful secret. But when the truths begin to surface, The Doctor is faced with a painful decision. Can he accept his daughter as she is? Or must he uphold his role as peace-keeper and destroy the most powerful war-lord he's ever faced, his own daughter. OC
1. Chapter 1 - First Encounter

River Song and The Doctor were finally alone for the first time in ages. Her mother and father were no longer companions. As much as she loved her parents, she was grateful for the time alone with her Time Lord husband. Just the two of them, in the TARDIS, an entire universe of possibilities before them…

She looked over and smirked at him and his smart, red bow-tie. The Doctor grinned back at her in his typical slightly devilish manner. He pretended not to admire the sway of her hips as she strutted towards him.

"Where to, sweetie?" That was all she managed to say before the TARDIS jarred and the lights flickered. It felt like it was tumbling down a never ending cliff and a bone-crushing speed. The two occupants screamed, unable to grasp anything as their bodies were tossed around like toothpicks in a laundry drier. Suddenly, it stopped. As if nothing happened. All power went out with a defeated '_wooooosh'_.

The two of them lay still in fear of another crash.

"Well that was certainly interesting" mused The Doctor cautiously. There were no signs of power left in the TARDIS. She seemed to be wounded and knocked unconscious. Suddenly a pipe burst and a noxious gas began to fill the air.

"Time to explore the great outdoors! Breathe in the fresh air!" The Doctor bellowed merrily.

He and River got sprang to their feet and burst through the door and out into the unknown alien planet they had crashed landed onto.

The air outside was thick with the scent of burning flesh and blood. They were in a dense forest, the trees ancient and knotted with time. A dry non-tropical moss hung from the limbs of these mighty trees. Smoke billowed in the evening sky, stinging the eyes of the time travelers. Visibility was poor at best. But through the trees and the smoke and the stench, they could hear the faint sound of distant screams.

"I think we're in the middle of a war zone." River nervously drew a good-sized dagger from a leather holster which was strapped to her thigh. The Doctor already had his sonic screw-driver in hand to help light the way.

"Let's go see what the fuss is about, shall we?" River nodded in agreement, the lead-weight feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

Together they crept through the forest. The screams were louder and clearer now…they were the screams of dying men. Flames could now be seen through the trees. The edge of the forest was near. The hairs on the back of River's neck stood up as she felt the earth rumble beneath her feet. Something very large, possibly a few very large things, was approaching. Fast.

The Doctor stopped dead in his tracks. He felt it too. He motioned for River to be silent as possible by pressing his index fingers to his lips.

Suddenly, a giant red wolf the size of a rhino came barreling and snarling between them. Dark liquid stained its muzzle and dripped profusely from its mouth. The animal didn't seem to notice them standing there as it hurdled through the trees. It was headed straight for the screams and the fire. That's when a paralyzing thought rocketed through River's mind. Her breath became shallow and her eyes were wide.

"Doctor…" she croaked, "she's here." He looked at her puzzled, and still shocked about the sight of the gargantuan wolf.

"Oh my god…" River whispered to herself.

"Who are you talking about?" The Doctor shouted, his frustration shadowed by fear. River didn't respond. She sheathed the knife and took off at a sprint in the same direction as the wolf.

"River!" The Doctor yelled after her. Before he moved to follow her, he reached down to the ground where a puddle of the black liquid had dripped from the wolf's mouth. He gently slid the pad of his middle finger into the liquid. It was still warm. He raised the finger closer to his face and inhaled. A knot instantly formed in his stomach. Blood. He returned to his feet and bolted after River.

When he caught up to her, she was facing the flames that consumed what was presumably a town or village of some sort. There were men with torches and battle axes, at least 20 or so of them. About 13 of them lay dead on the ground. Those who were alive seemed to be attacking, or possibly fighting off about 30 of the giant wolves. Some were howling in distress or ripping the men to shreds. The fight was coming to an end, in favor of the wolves.

"What exactly do you know, River? Tell me!" The Doctor was now getting impatient, demanding information before stepping in to disband the conflict.

Tears were forming in River's eyes. The knot in his stomach became even tighter when he saw.

"Temperance… " she whispered, just loud enough for The Doctor to hear. He shook his head, signaling that he had no idea who she was talking about.

River couldn't speak anymore. She simply watched the carnage in front of them. Her stare remained pained as they watched the last man fall to the ground dead, his neck and shoulder ripped apart from the massive bite of a grey wolf. Fresh blood poured between its teeth, but its eyes were no longer narrowed. Much to The Doctor's surprise, the canine had piercing grey-blue eyes. It raised its head from the body of the man it had just killed, gaze locked on River. It raised a mighty paw and took a step towards them. Cautiously, it took another. It slowly walked up and inhaled deeply, taking in River's scent. Its eyes closed, and the wolf lowered its head directly in front of River. That's when she fell to her knees.

"Don't touch her! I'm warning you now!" The Doctor yelled as he raised his sonic screw driver in the wolf's direction.

"NO," River screamed! The Doctor looked at her confused and surprised by her reaction.

She slowly reached out a shaky hand and placed in on the bridge of the wolfs nose. The animal seemed calm, relaxed and happy to see her and feel her touch.

"Doctor…" River choked, tears pouring from her eyes, "This is Temperance." A distant memory tugged at the back of The Doctor's mind. It was something he had repressed, something that an older version of himself wanted him to remember. He couldn't place it. He'd never felt this way before.

River gently stroked the blood-stained muzzle of the soothed beast. She smiled softly then turned to face The Doctor.

"This is our daughter."

The Doctor didn't say a word as the wolf raised its head to look at its "father". He felt that tugging in his brain again. The memory was beginning to surface. The Doctor's eyes became huge, staring at the animal, attempting to process what he had just been told. The grey-blue eyes of the wolf blurred into the face of a woman within his head. The grey fur disappeared to reveal fair skin and shoulder length reddish-blonde hair. The woman he saw was beautiful, familiar yet a complete stranger all at the same time. The Doctor shook his head, erasing the image of the girl and returning to the harsh reality that lay in front of him. The giant grey wolf was still relishing the touch of River's hand on its nose. His wife was still gazing adoringly at the beast in front of her. He simply dropped his sonic screwdriver and promptly fell to the ground unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Birds and the Bees

The planet's name was Redemption 3. No one knows its origin, not even The Doctor. Actually, pretty much nothing is known about the planet or its occupants. Not until The Doctor woke up after a fainting spell.

He came-to on an ordinary faded blue couch in a seemingly ordinary house. It was more like a cabin really. The walls were mostly bare, with the exception of a frightening tapestry depicting all kinds of terrible creatures…a huge black dragon with its wings slightly tucked, a white winged horse in a full rear in the corner, a big red wolf…

The Doctor shot straight up, fully awake. He remembered the giant wolf he had encountered last night. It had thick grey fur and blue eyes. And River…his wife had touched it, had called it daughter. Her daughter. Their daughter. His daughter.

The daughter of a Time Lord.

He continued to take in the room. The front door was a rich, dark oak with no peep window. Drab green, blue and black plaid curtains hung in front of the three warped glass windows. A great slab of tree was positioned as a coffee table, dozens of round watermarks staining its surface. There was a single large bookshelf pushed up against a wall. It was overflowing with ancient looking books. There wasn't a single speck of dust on them, which meant they were referred to often. The walls and ceiling were constructed out of a warm knotted wood. Perhaps cedar? That would explain the faint smell. The Doctor sniffed again. Onions?

That's when he heard two voices coming from the other room, maybe the kitchen. His stomach started to sink, then rumbled with hunger. His "family qualms" would have to wait. He was famished.

He walked through the door frame and nearly staggered backwards at what he saw. Every beam had dried herbs dangling from them. There were hundreds of varieties, all for different uses. Shelves were filled with jars of preserved goods…veggies, fruits, jams, and meats. A fresh loaf of dark-grained bread lay on a wooden cutting board on the counter. A large kettle on the stove began to whistle on the stove. Three teacups sat next to the stove top, filled with chopped and dried bits of plants. Herbal tea, perhaps?

"Hello sweetie…" said a low and sultry voice from the corner of the kitchen. River. Her eyes were no longer puffy from crying and her cheeks were no longer flushed with raw emotion. She looked like herself. But something in her face was softer, almost humbled.

That's when The Doctor saw her. Her back was facing him, her hands busy chopping something on the counter. She stood slightly shorter than River, but had all the same curves. She too had a warriors' build…strong and powerful, but still gorgeously feminine. Her hair was faded auburn with a few streaks of gold that glittered in the morning sun when she moved slightly. Like River's hair, the girls was kinked and curled and just barely touched her shoulders. She turned around to face him.

Her eyes were the same shade of blue as the wolf's last night. The grey wolf that River had called "daughter."

The Doctor's world went black as his skull hit the floor. He had fainted again.

"Does he always do this?" The girl was either generally concerned, or shared the same sick sense of humor as her mother.

"I guess there's a first for everything" River replied.

The Doctor awoke to find those haunting eyes hovering over his face like a vulture scouring for meat off of a carcass. He was back on the blue couch.

"Right! Well…hello then! Hi! I'm, uhhh…I'm The Doctor? Yes, I'm The Doctor. The real question is…what's that smell?"

The girl smiled.

"That's stew. If you're hungry I'll fetch you some."

"Yes, that'd be lovely. But first one of you have to tell me what the blazes is going on! For once I am completely clueless and I don't like it one bit…so someone is going to start talking. Now!"

River sighed heavily. She reached down and shoved The Doctor's legs to the side so she could sit on the couch next to him.

"It was a long time ago, in another time all the way across the universe. You hadn't met Rose Tyler yet. That version of you had stumbled into a time after we got married." The Doctor just lay there and blinked. She was talking about the time before his last regeneration.

"Well," River sighed deeply again, "I didn't exactly get a wedding night. So when I offered to help that version of you fix the TARDIS, we made a sort of…arrangement." River was staring straight into his eyes. She wasn't blinking. She never blinked when she meant serious business.

"Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

"Yes, for heaven's sake yes! Just get on with it!"

River sighed with some relief. She reached down and took his hand.

"I never told you because it would have upset the balance. You couldn't find out before it was your time. I had just enough time to find a proper place to hide her. Not the Daleks, not the Sontarans, not even you could know she existed. The daughter of 2 Time Lords will never be safe." Her voice had become strained and pleading. The girl just stood there in front of him, her eyes examining his face for any reaction he may give.

"The creatures here are unlike any other we've ever seen before. With their powers, they are able to mask any trace of anyone they want to protect. Shortly before the Pond's left, I received a message from the leader of this tribe. She said that Temperance had been seriously injured from an accident and her regeneration powers had involuntarily healed her. The release of those powers is strong enough to be detected by an enemy with the right technology and a means of getting here. She was afraid of her discovery, so she told me she'd let me know of any more developments."

"But then the TARDIS brought us here, because you were so worried about her." The Doctor said in a low voice. River nodded.

Temperance hadn't shifted her gaze one inch. The Doctor got up from the couch and came to stand in front of this strange girl. He stared into her stormy eyes, trying to find a hint of what or who she was. That's when her hands flew up to his face, her fingers lightly resting on his temples. She closed her eyes and got inside of his mind. Startled, he did the same thing to her. It was instinct.

"I see you, but with different faces. I can feel your two hearts beating inside your chest. I see a blue police box, and a girl. A girl with blonde hair…Rose. Her name is Rose Tyler. I see Martha and Donna as well. I see my grandparents, Amy and Rory. Pain, so much pain…but the things you have seen, the places you have been. I see a world burning and everyone is dying. All but you. I know you, Doctor." He felt her fingers lightly stroke the hair which hung on the sides of his face.

"My turn," he whispered. The Doctor cautiously entered her mind.

He was instantly overwhelmed. He saw a little girl crying as River said goodbye to her. She saw that same child learning things he had never seen taught before. The girl was older now, around 12 years old. She learned to shed her human skin and take the form of a beast. A wolf, a small grey wolf ripped through the flesh of the girl and took off into the woods. She stretched her legs and felt free. She ran faster than she ever thought possible. He felt her joy pulse through her veins.

He watched her learn to take on new forms…a black horse who raced along the stormy beaches. Then a brilliant red dragon who could take to the skies. Blue flames licked and flickered around devastatingly large teeth and curled within the irises of her eyes.

In her human form she learned how to survive from the fruits of the land. She was taught history and how to defend herself. When she grew up, she became a great healer. He watched her develop into a fierce warrior, a necessity for every member of her clan.

Then he saw a familiar face, right there in her mind. He was handsome and tall with a large dark coat. He could vaguely hear a voice…an American accent.

"Is that Captain Jack?" The Doctor was shocked almost to his very core.

"Yes," Temperence replied softly, "he came here to warn me that they were coming." The Doctor opened his eyes and locked gazes with River. She was pale again, despair written all over her face.

"What's coming Temperance?" It was the first time The Doctor had ever said her name.

"They know I'm here, and they know what I am. Captain Jack said he'd stay and help me."

"Who's coming?!" The Doctor was yelling now.

An image formed in her head. Jack was handing her a piece of paper. It was a normal size letter-head with a bold shade of red on it. The image looked old, ancient even. The top of the paper was scribed in giant block letters spelling 'VICTORY'…and in the center of the paper was an image of a metal being with a dome for a head. It had a single eye-stalk protruding from its top, a toilet plunger looking thing that may have replaced an arm at some point, and next to the "hand," a gun.

"Daleks…" all three said together. A deep fear was in her. The Doctor could feel it eating away at her from the inside out. That dark cloud of dread was filling her up, blotting out all the light she had ever known in her entire life. He felt her confusion, her gratefulness for Jack who had come to warn her and offer her his help and protection. But he also felt her loneliness. That pain inside of her when he fainted. The very sight of his own daughter, the fact that he knew she even existed, was too much for him to bear.

"I didn't even think you would come." Temperance's voice was lower now, cold and distant. The Doctor felt her grip on his face tighten.

"Am I really so hideous to you? You, who has changed his face as a way to escape death shouldn't judge the way I live."

"Temperance…" River attempted to quench the fire before it spread out of control.

"I'm not like you. I may share DNA with you _"father"_…but it wasn't your love or concern that brought you here to me. It was my mothers. So please, do me a favor and don't pretend that you care about me."

Her hands fell away from The Doctor's face and tucked as she folded her arms in front of her chest. The Doctor mentally chuckled to himself as he watched her.

'_Like mother, like daughter'_ he mused silently.

Temperance turned to face her mother.

"I'm going to put some tea on if you'd like some. I have to re-boil the water, since the first one went cold."

"Thank you, that'd be lovely" River replied politely. As they walked into the kitchen, The Doctor decided to fire off one more question.

"How do you do it? Shape shift, I mean." He was terrified at what the answer might be. Temperance turned around slowly.

"Genetic mutation. I nearly drowned once as a child. The She Wolf, leader of this tribe, was there and gave me CPR…when her saliva came into contact with mine, my DNA was compatible for her genetic gift. I found out was I able to change into the skins of animals and other creatures. You're amongst the rarest and most pure shape shifters ever to exist in all of space and time. They are the originals of their species. And now, I'm one of them."


End file.
